Thanks @kezo. You mention the acoustic glass in Premium and up but would you say that’s worth it as I’m deaf? Some reviews say the road noise is a bit concerning so I imagine the acoustic glass helps with that, yes? Just seeing if it’d be an issue for myself. It’s been a while since I had a car that wasn’t a quick hatchback so checking if the Tucson is sluggish or quick for its size? Paddles help with downshifting? Saw the recent photos of yours and was very impressed; lovely looking car.
Just to add to what @kezo has said. I don’t actually pick up our Tucson until next Friday, but had 3 different models on lengthy test drives (48 hours in total) when I subjected them to all types of driving – motorways, fast A roads, twisting B roads, town etc. I drove them as most people would, but also in anger 😉. I’ve also read loads of reviews and watched countless YouTube reviews on the Tucson, although most are the pre-facelift model. My thoughts would be as follows;
Road Noise – I can’t say that I recall road noise being mentioned in the reviews? We actually commented on how quiet the car was! We currently have a petrol BMW X1 and it has been nigh on perfect, but there are just two things that, 3 years on, I would have to admit are irritants. The first is the lack of ‘Auto Hold’ (which thankfully the Tucson has) and the second is road noise on certain surfaces (possibly emphasised by the fact that the engine is near silent). The Tucson definitely transmits far less road noise into the cabin than the X1 does on the same roads, however there is some wind disturbance around the door mirrors at higher speeds. Unlike Kezo I’m not as convinced about the acoustic glass. Looking at the front door windows, it’s two very thin layers of glass bonded together that, in total, are still thinner than the single door window glass on the BMW! Personally I think that the quiet ride is more to do with really good sound insulation (which I think was improved with the facelift) than the glass.
Engine Noise – Several reviews mentioned the engine note being a bit gruff – perhaps it was that you read? The engine is definitely noisier than the BMW, but it’s only noticeable in the high rev range. Personally, I quite liked the engine note, which surprised me as it’s only 1.6 litres and I haven’t had anything less than 2.0 litres since I was a youngster 😂 Both Kezo and I have gone for the PHEV version, so a lot of our driving will be in EV mode without the engine operating. However, I was hugely impressed with the transition from EV to petrol which is imperceptible and, according to lots of reviews I’ve watched, that’s not the case even in some more premium PHEVs. One of the cars I tested was the self charging hybrid version and I have to say that I didn’t like that version. The engine is on / off, on / off (there being no EV only option) and, presumably due to the added weight, the mpg was actually worse than our 2.0i petrol BMW over the same journeys, so I couldn’t see the point of it. If I was buying a Tucson privately I’d probably go for the standard petrol version, but the Motability APs make the PHEV a no brainer
Performance – As I have now learned, it’s important not to be suckered into thinking that because the quoted power outputs of PHEV cars are impressive that they are lightening quick cars. Much of this extra power is needed to counter the significant extra weight of the battery, rather than making them hot hatches. The Tucson PHEV is something like 253 PS but, in all honesty, it didn’t feel as quick as our 2.0i petrol BMW which is something like 180 PS but obviously lighter. That being said, our BMW is sh*t off a shovel when you want it to be, and when I floored the Tucson the pick up wasn’t quite as instant but there’s more than enough power for 99% of drivers in all circumstances. Once I’ve got used to the slightly different power delivery I’m sure that I’ll still manage the same overtaking manoeuvres with equal confidence. I never use paddles on any car and I tend not to use sport mode either. In the BMW I never need to, but I guess that’s a further option in the Tucson for those who want to give it some beans 😂